Rubble, rat traps, needles and syringes dumped in a private car park next to a nursery led to council intervention.

Barking and Dagenham Council have threatened enforcement action against the car park's owner

The car park behind Iceland in Whalebone Lane South, Dagenham, is rented by the supermarket and four neighbouring businesses – including Millennium Cafe – which have been blighted by the build-up since December, leading the council to demand it is cleaned by the end of tomorrow.

The council is threatening action against its owner in an effort to fight fly-tipping in the area after wind blew 25 needles and two syringes into Beacon play school’s playground on Wednesday last week, when deputy manager Lee McClymont said the items were discovered during the morning clean-up.

“Being in a setting with children we have to check it every day – we’re on the look-out,” the 47-year-old said. “If there’s a lot of rubbish it does blow into the play ground and that concerns us. I’d like to see it tidied.”

Pensioner Carol Loveridge, who lives in nearby Gosfield Road, says she’s sick of walking past the car park’s filth and is concerned about its proximity to businesses that revolve around food.

“It’s absolutely disgraceful, it’s really disgusting – I’ve even seen Rentokil rat boxes down there,” the 69-year-old said. “It’s an absolute eyesore and I don’t use the Iceland because of it.”

A spokeswoman for Iceland, which rents the bulk of the car park, said the supermarket was working with the council to clear the mess by Sunday.

“Iceland is not responsible for this carpark, but we have raised our concerns to the environmental health and are working with them to have the issue resolved by the end of the week,” she said. “We are sorry to any customers who may have been affected by this matter.”

A council spokesman confirmed the authority had demanded action from the car park’s owner, saying: “We are aware of the complaints of rubbish.

“We have contacted the owners and we will be taking enforcement action as part of our drive for a cleaner, better Barking and Dagenham.”